Beat up cyclists need ebike guidance

[Buckdubay]

I have been a life long cyclist. However At 52 with hip replacement due to a car accident and a torn ACL and Meniscus that have been surgically repaired but still aren’t right, I find riding more difficult. I can still ride for an hour and cover about 12-13 miles on flats but throw some hills into the mix and all fun goes out the window. I can still push a big gear but can’t spin up the hills (high cadence kills the knee). Looking in to the Dost KOPE (I like the range and might like throttle) or the Giant Fastroad E - EXPRO (lighter and more similar to regular cycling ). Would love any input from people that are more knowledgeable since this would be my first ebike

 

[TMH]

What are you currently riding (drop bar road bike, commuter with flat bars, MTB, etc.)? Are you looking to continue getting the efficiency of a thinner tire road bike, or are you also (beyond the electric assist for the hills) looking for a less aggressive riding position? Where do you want to ride with your new e-bike (roads only, roads with light trail use, more significant off road trails)?

I personally would not think you would need or use a throttle - You have ridden long enough that down-shifting for a stop comes natural, and you state that you are still comfortable pushing a big gear.

E-bikes are perfect for that extra help on the hills without requiring a high cadence. Plus as we age out they are just a whole lot more fun!

Let us know more about how/where you ride (or want to ride) and we'll try to center our recommendations for you.

Oh, and I almost forgot. Welcome!

 

[Art Deco]

I have been a life long cyclist. However At 52 with hip replacement due to a car accident and a torn ACL and Meniscus that have been surgically repaired but still aren’t right, I find riding more difficult. I can still ride for an hour and cover about 12-13 miles on flats but throw some hills into the mix and all fun goes out the window. I can still push a big gear but can’t spin up the hills (high cadence kills the knee). Looking in to the Dost KOPE (I like the range and might like throttle) or the Giant Fastroad E - EXPRO (lighter and more similar to regular cycling ). Would love any input from people that are more knowledgeable since this would be my first ebike

Test ride a few ... you mentioned Giant, but also Trek and Specialized dealers usually encourage renting a bike or even free testing for a day or two. If you deal online make sure you have plenty of time to return it. Bad knees can ruin any ride, but you'll find one that works for you.

 

[Buckdubay]

I have a Cannondale synapse that I have put several thousand miles on. Since the knee injury I have gravitated back to my old Trek hybrid 7.2fx. It is not a high tech speedster but it is comfortable to ride and is set up to run errands with box panniers that fold up. I rarely ride the road bike any more. To is to depressing not to ride it like the old days. I like the grocery getter setup and think that is more my future riding style. I live in the Adirondack mountains of upstate NY so I am dealing with numerous hills.

 

[Art Deco]

I have a Cannondale synapse that I have put several thousand miles on. Since the knee injury I have gravitated back to my old Trek hybrid 7.2fx. It is not a high tech speedster but it is comfortable to ride and is set up to run errands with box panniers that fold up. I rarely ride the road bike any more. To is to depressing not to ride it like the old days. I like the grocery getter setup and think that is more my future riding style. I live in the Adirondack mountains of upstate NY so I am dealing with numerous hills.

With hills like those your grocery getter weight and your weight will matter a lot. Tourque matters much more than watts for hills. Happy hunting to you.

 

[Sierratim]

I have a Cannondale synapse that I have put several thousand miles on. Since the knee injury I have gravitated back to my old Trek hybrid 7.2fx. It is not a high tech speedster but it is comfortable to ride and is set up to run errands with box panniers that fold up. I rarely ride the road bike any more. To is to depressing not to ride it like the old days. I like the grocery getter setup and think that is more my future riding style. I live in the Adirondack mountains of upstate NY so I am dealing with numerous hills.

I agree with @Art Deco , get some test rides in, esp with hills and a knee injury. What budget are you looking at? Ebike prices cover a wide range. Our first ebikes were economical DIY conversions that performed well, but at 70 I wanted to back away from doing by own trouble shooting on our next bikes. I placed a high value on lBS support. Your budget and desire for LBS support may vary.

 

[TMH]

If you are still comfortable in the more aggressive riding position of a road bike, there is no other bike type which is as efficient on pavement. And an e-assist road bike will put the fun back into riding one.

Of course a bike like the Giant Fastroad E - EXPRO will have more utility and a more upright and comfortable riding position. Would be much better as a grocery getter, errand runner, and could do some light trail work too with the fatter/wider tires. The e-assist will more than make up for the higher weight and rolling resistance. But I still can't figure why Giant continues to use the comparatively tiny batteries in their bikes. I wouldn't buy any e-bike with a battery capacity less than 500 Wh today.

@Art Deco is on the money when he recommends that torque is your best friend when tackling hilly terrain. I probably wouldn't want less than 70nm of torque when riding in a hilly area, and the more the better.

I would also look at bikes such as the Specialized Turbo Vado 4.0 (or higher) - I love my 4.0.

I also noticed that Crazy Lenny must have bought the remaining supply of the 2019 Haibike Trekking 7.0 stock in the U.S., and now has them available at a reasonable price. Both my wife and I ride them, and they are comfortable, effective, quality bikes with a broad use profile (and even better with a PearTune MSO chip which allows pedal assist past the stock 20mph).

https://www.crazylennysebikes.com/crazy-deal/

 

[Saratoga Dave]

High Peaks in Lake Placid had a couple of leftover ToughRoads from last year the last time I was there - which was just before the shutdown, so a while - but if you can still hang with the drop bar riding style, that’s a damn good bike, very well suited to the Adirondacks. Pro motor vs the Sport, thought the torque number is the same at 80, which is very strong. Wider gear ratios for uphill, bigger battery.

All that said though, I know Browneye here has an Explore that he likes very much. I’d still try like hell to find one to ride, given the altitude issues we enjoy in northern NY.

 

[Buckdubay]

I will give them a call, thanks Saratoga Dave

 

[Buckdubay]

Well I ended up with a Giant Toughroad. I test drove a bunch of Ebikes Friday and Saturday and absolutely loved the Toughroad. I was hesitant on pulling the trigger on the purchase because of the price tag. My crazy wife comes home 3 hours later with the bike to surprise me for Father’s Day(Birthday, Christmas, Anniversary and Father’s Day again). I am totally floored. Can’t wait to take it for a serious ride today

 

[Marci jo]

Well I ended up with a Giant Toughroad. I test drove a bunch of Ebikes Friday and Saturday and absolutely loved the Toughroad. I was hesitant on pulling the trigger on the purchase because of the price tag. My crazy wife comes home 3 hours later with the bike to surprise me for Father’s Day(Birthday, Christmas, Anniversary and Father’s Day again). I am totally floored. Can’t wait to take it for a serious ride today

Congrats on your new ebike.
And Happy Father’s Day!

 

[Saratoga Dave]

Congrats on that. I’ve put three thousand miles on mine in a little over a year so far and love the thing. It can go pretty much anywhere, but is still very comfortable for covering miles on paved roads as well.

 

[Saratoga Dave]

Of course, you have to put orange bar tape on it to match the stripes, but that goes without saying!

 

[Buckdubay]

Not a bad idea. I probably does not hide the grim